RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
Baz (NZ)

R.I.P Bob Skelton

Recommended Posts

The day he won the MC, I was sitting in the Flemington Members Stand and of all people, guess who was sitting directly in the seat  in front of me? Bob's wife -  Maureen I think her name was. It was a great moment when Bob emerged from the murky, miserable poor visibility day, to surge to the lead on VDH. I'll never forget it. RIP the best rider of stayers - ever.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sad news indeed. Great bloke as everyone has said.

I will never forget that day in 1977 when Bob walked Show Gate back to the birdcage after winning the Trentham Stakes in NZ record time after the great mare broke down in the suspensory ligament 1000m from home.

Sincere condolences to the family.

R.I.P Bob

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Even though I was only 10 at the time when Van Der Hum slogged it,s way through the mud, a mate of mine across the road

backed it, and  I was thereafter on the Skelton bandwagon!

With Grey Way and Show Gate winning mostly without Bob moving a muscle and just a wee wave of the stick

He was a Master in the saddle...poetry in motion. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A true legend and good man to boot. RIP and sincere condolences to Bob's family and friends.

Having had the pleasure of racing a horse or two with one of Bob's brothers I have a little insight into what a super family this is, and what a contribution they have all made to NZ racing. A sad time

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A few of us on here rode against and with Bob. He was the loveliest man...ever......he remained that way all his life, I'll never forget riding against him the first time on a wet and shitty Hawera day, he rode up to me as we pulled up and wiped some blood off my face after I got hit by a flying plate, I was 16, a kid, I'll never ever forget that, God Bless you Bob, you wonderful fella, NZ has lost a treasure.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw his MC win too but i was standing in the pissing rain drinking grog out of a weenie plastic beaker.

It was a while before I worked my way up to the big knobs in the members.

However I did stay in a boarding house with Frankie Rey's bro in Canberra once.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.